A NASCAR Hall of Famer has just dished out some major praise for a fellow driver. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has said that Kurt Busch possesses a quality that many legends did not have during their careers.
“@KurtBusch takes bad teams and makes them better,” Earnhardt tweeted after watching the 2004 Cup Series champion win the race at Kansas Speedway. “He takes teams that didn’t even exist last year and makes them better. It’s a rare quality even some of Nascar’s greats didn’t possess.”
WE DID IT!!!!! We had to play like the GOAT and race like the GOAT to win like the GOAT! This was all about teamwork! #KBXLV
One reason for this tweet is that Busch achieved multiple goals during the trip to Kansas Speedway. He set a new team record with 116 laps led, and he secured the second win in 23XI Racing history. Busch also achieved this goal while besting Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and numerous other proven winners.
Meanwhile, Busch’s teammate Bubba Wallace ran inside the top 10 all day long before finishing 10th overall. This finish, which Wallace secured after rebounding from multiple pit road penalties, served as a sign of progress considering that he had never posted a top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway in his eight previous starts.
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Denny Hamlin Made Similar Comments
Busch is one of NASCAR’s most talented drivers. He has reached Victory Lane 34 times while driving for several organizations and four different manufacturers. However, Earnhardt and 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin both chose to highlight something else that makes Busch a great asset.
“I had heard things about Kurt from his peers, and I interviewed three of his previous teammates,” Hamlin said during his post-race media availability. “I took three of his teammates to lunch and asked, kind of vetted Kurt out because I had never had a close relationship with Kurt.
“Every single one of them, all three, said, ‘He was the best teammate I ever had.’ That’s your peer review. That’s pretty much someone you need to have in your stable, especially for Bubba who has never had a teammate before.”
When Busch joined 23XI Racing in August 2021, both he and Hamlin explained that there were multiple goals to accomplish. Winning was at the top of the list, but they also noted that Busch needed to help Bubba Wallace and the entire organization become more consistent.
Busch Has Worked With Numerous Teammates
GettyKurt Busch (right) celebrates his win with Bubba Wallace (right).
Busch, who is in his 23rd season in the Cup Series (22nd full-time), has driven for several organizations. He started his career driving for Jack Roush before moving over to Team Penske. He spent multiple years each with Stewart-Haas Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing before joining 23XI Racing. Busch also spent time with Phoenix Racing and Furniture Row Racing in 2012 and 2013.
This time with several organizations led to Busch joining forces with a laundry list of teammates. He worked with Ryan Newman, Sam Hornish Jr., Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Danica Patrick, Mark Martin, Carl Edwards, Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, Tony Stewart, Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer, and now Wallace.
Busch and his teammates achieved success overall at each stop. He has reached Victory Lane 34 times, including at least once in nine consecutive seasons. Busch also watched as teammates Kenseth (2003) and Harvick (2014) both won championships. Now he and 23XI Racing are fresh off a win and ready for even more success.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Has Major Praise for Kurt Busch